Letter: Ronaldo may quit club

The rumour about Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit from Real Madrid is gaining momentum and inevitably circulating in the red half of Manchester.

The uncertainty about the player came after Spanish prosecutors filed a lawsuit against him for alleged tax fraud of £13-million (R216-million) between 2011 and 2014.

Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid are reportedly ready to pay Ronaldo’s tax bill to keep him at the club.

Club president Florentino Perez issued a statement to assure Madrid fans that he’d do everything in his power to convince the player to stay.

Manager Zinedine Zidane cut shor t his holiday to have a conversation with the player.

Ronaldo has a ß1-billion (R14.5-billion) release clause in his Real Madrid contract. His wages are about £400 000 (R6-million) a week.

In 2015 his agent said it would cost any club £300-million (R4.9-billion) to lure him.

He got a new five-year contract this year, one that will pay him like the best player in the world after his inevitable decline.

Three Champions League titles in four seasons is a ridiculous accomplishment for any footballer. Forbes estimates that Ronaldo will make $93-million (R1.2-billion) this year, making him the world’s highest paid athlete.

The tax obligation could easily be paid, but his reputation is what matters.

Even leaving Spain won’t make tax fraud charges disappear. In the world of soccer transfer rumours, it’s difficult to separate fact from fiction.

Anyone who wasn’t in the room when Ronaldo said he wanted to leave Madrid won’t know how serious he was. If he leaves Real Madrid, he’s guaranteed to go down in history as the second- best player of his generation.

However, he doesn’t need to have footballing or financial reasons that we can understand easily to leave Real Madrid. He’s been a club icon of our generation and keeps breaking club records every time he sets the football on the field.